And it is not lawful for men to persuade us that a
thing already is, though there be no such object of our sense,
which God has told us shall not be till it be an object of our
sense.
The saintship of a people as to government, consists in the
election of magistrates fearing God, and hating covetousness, and
not in their confining themselves, or being confined, to men of
this or that party or profession. It consists in making the most
prudent and religious choice they can; yet not in trusting to
men, but, next God, to their own orders. "Give us good men, and
they will make us good laws," is the maxim of a demagogue, and is
(through the alteration which is commonly perceivable in men,
when they have power to work their own wills) exceeding fallible.
But "give us good orders, and they will make us good men," is the
maxim of a legislator, and the most infallible in the politics.
But these divisions (however there be some good men that look
sadly on them) are trivial things; first as to the civil concern,
because the government, whereof this nation is capable, being
once seen, takes in all interests. And, secondly, as to the
spiritual; because as the pretence of religion has always been
turbulent in broken governments, so where the government has been
sound and steady, religion has never shown itself with any other
face than that of its natural sweetness and tranquillity, nor is
there any reason why it should, wherefore the errors of the
people are occasioned by their governors.
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